Gastonia Police Receive $ 116,200 in Grants & New Equipment

Wednesday

Jan 30, 2013 at 12:01 AMJan 30, 2013 at 9:17 PM

The Gastonia Police Department has received $116,200 in state grants and equipment for traffic enforcement efforts to help to make roads safer in Gaston County, according to Gastonia Traffic Enforcement Sgt. Chad Hawkins.

Grants and equipment obtained through the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program include a $71,800 non-matching BikeSafe NC grant, said Sgt. Hawkins, who also serves as Gaston County’s NCGHSP coordinator.

The BikeSafe grant allows the Gastonia Police Department to join the state’s motorcycle safety program and pays for two fully equipped BMW police motorcycles, riding gear for two officers, and a motorcycle trailer. The grant includes funding for training at the NC State Highway Patrol motor officer school as well as in-state travel for BikeSafe .

Gastonia will also receive approximately $17,000 in equipment for points earned by the department for local enforcement and educational initiatives in conjunction with the highway safety program, Sgt. Hawkins said. Points are earned by law enforcement agencies for initiatives such as child seat safety events and DWI check points to help make roadways safer. Points are cashed in for equipment at the end of each year and this year equipment to be received includes 17 alco-sensors, six tint meters, and one LiDAR or speed gun, he said.

In addition, the department received 65 mobile printers and paper with a value of about $27,400 through a highway safety program/Administrative Offices of the Court grant in 2012. The mobile printers allow city officers to be more efficient by using electronic systems known as eCrash and eCITATION ® to print traffic crash information and citations in their patrol cars and electronically submit them to Raleigh, Sgt. Hawkins said.